Electric ignition and starting apparatus for internal combustion engines



b- 1933- 'r. B. HUGHES ET AL 0 ELECTRIC IGNITION AND STARTING APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb. 13, 1932 V a II 2E THOMAS B. Hus/{5 WALTER Zsuwzazfi BY WW Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE THOMAS B. HUGHES, OI GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS, AND WALTER ZELLWEGER, OF

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI ELECTRIC IGNITION AND STARTING APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Application fl1ed February 13, 1932. Serial No. 592,808.

The conventional internal combustion engine that is now used practically universally on power-operated vehicles and mo tor boats is provided with an electrical 1gn1tion and starting apparatus that comprises a single storage battery which is used to supply electric current to the ignition mechanism and also to-the, starting motor that turns the crank shaft of the engine in the operation of starting the engine. When the engine is being started the starting motor imposes a heavy load on said battery and this frequently results in the ignition mechanism not receiving sufiicient current to produce a spark that will ignite the fuel in one or more cylinders of the engine. This inherent characteristic of the conventional electrical ignition and starting apparatus is particularly noticeable when the battery is weak, and also in cold weather when the compression is reduced, due to the lubricating oil of the en- 'ne being stiff and having drained away rom the piston rings after being idle for some time. It is objectionable not only in that it frequently results in failure of the spark plugs to produce sparks of sufficient intensity to quickly ignite; the combustible mixture in the cold cylinders, but also because it results in excessive waste of fuel in the operation of starting the engine, due to the pistons reciprocating a number of times, and thus drawing considerable fuel into the cylinders, before the ignition mechanism produces a spark that will ignite the fuel. If the starting motor is operated frequently, or if the starting motor is continued in operation for a long period in an endeavor to start a cold engine, there is great danger of running down the battery, thus making it necessary to remove the battery and replace it with a fully charged battery before the engine can be started. Moreover, if the battery is also used to supply electric current to a lighting system, as is the usual practice, excessive or abnormal use of the lighting system, as, for example, considerable night driving with little or no day driving, or use for long periods of a parking light, causes the battery to become so low or weak that it is not capable of operating the starting motor.

Our invention has for its main object to overcome the above mentioned defects or objectionable characteristics of the conventional electrical ignition and starting apparatus now generally used on internal combustion engines. To this end we have devised an electrical ignition and starting apparatus that comprises or is equipped with two batteries or other sources of electrical energy or power, one for the starting motor and the other for the ignition mechanism, and means for causing the battery that is associated with the starting motor to be disconnected or uncoupled from thebattery that is associated with the ignition mechanism in the operation of starting the engine, whereby diminution in the supply of electric current to the ignition mechanism during the starting operation is absolutely eliminated; due to the impossibility of the starting motor exerting a load on the ignition batter Our invention insures quicker starting 0 an internal combustion engine, especially in extremely cold weather; it eliminates excessive waste of fuel in the starting operation; it greatly reduces the liability of running down or exhausting the battery used to operate the starting motor, and it greatly reduces the liability of failure of the supply of electric current used to energize the starting motor, caused by excessive or abnormal use of a lighting system that receives its supply of current from the source of power used to energize the starting mechanism. It also improves or increases the efliciency of the ignition mechanism of an internal combustion engine by increasing the sources of supply of electrical energy for the spark plugs when the engine is in operation.

If desired, the apparatus can be constructed in such a way that if one battery becomes exhausted or run down, the user, by manipulating devices, as shown, can bring the other battery into service, as, for example, to operate the starting motor in the event of failure of the starting motor battery, or to operate the ignition mechanism or ignition mechanism and lighting system, or use both batteries to operate the starting motor, in the event of failure of the battery that s norinally used to energize the same. Our invention is applicable to various types and kmds of internal combustion engines used for various purposes and does not contemplate and is not restricted to the use of any particular type or kind of starting apparatus, 1 tion mechanism or ignition mechanism an lighting system.

- erate by the engine; and

above referred to being connected Fi re 2 is a vertical sectional view of one cm of switch that may be used to disconnect or uncouple one battery, hereinafterreferred to as the starting battery, from the other battery, hereinafter referred to as the ignition battery, during the operation of starting the engine.

In the accompan ing drawing, which, as previously stated, is intended to diagrammatically illustrate our invention, A designates a conventional internal combustion en e mounted on the chassis B of an automoil e. C desi ates spark plugs for igniting the combusti 1e charges of fuel supplied to the cylinders of said en 'ne, D designates the h tension coil and designates the dis- 7 tn utor of the ignition mechanism, F designates an electrical generator with its conventional cut-out F operated by the engine, G desi ates an ammeter, H designates electricfi l y-operated lamps, such as headlights, that form part of a lighting system, I designates a switch for control in the lighting circuit, J designates a switch or controlling the spark plug circuit, W designates a switch that co-tahctshviith the switgh J flpr disconnecting' e 'g t' em rom t e startin ba when the i g m 'zi dn switch J is opene and designates a starting motor, the parts to ther and grounded to the frame B of the c assis in a conventional manner.

of using a single battery to operate he starting motor K and also to supply electrical energy to the ignition mechamsm and lighting system, as has heretofore been the usual practice, we employ one battery L to' supply electric current to the starting motor K an a separate and distinct battery M to supply electric current to the ignition mechanlsm, or to the ignition mechanism and lighting stem during the o ration of starting. ive also use a manna y-operated switch dedgnated as an entirety by the reference character N, to disconnect or uncouple the ignition battery M and the generator F from the starting battery L during the oper- 1,ees,avo

ation of startin the engine A, so as to efl'ectively prevent e starting motor K from exerting a load on the ignition batte M. It should be understood that if this disconnec, tion is accomplished b the use of an electromagnetic circuit breazer or other electrical cut-out, it is still within the spirit of the invention.

The switch N just referred to can be constructed in various ways without departin from the spirit of our invention, so long as it is of such' design that when it is actuated to establish electrical connection between the battery L and the starting motor K, it will be impossible for electric current to pass from the i ition battery M to the starting motor K. e prefer to construct the apparatus in such a manner that when the e e is in operation the generator will su ly e co- P tric current to both of the batteries 15 and M' and the ignition and lighting systems. The switch N herein illustrated comprises a contact 1 connected by a lead 2 to the starting motor K, a contact 3 connected by a lead 4 with the startinglbattery L, and a conducting element 5 attac ed preferably to a spri actuated foot plunger 6 and adapted to moved into engagement with the contacts 1 and 3, so as to establish electrical connection between the leads 2 and 4, and thus permit current to pass from the battery L to the starting motor K. Said switch N is also provided with two additional contacts 7 and 8 that are normally in enga ment with the conducting element 5, but w ich are adapted to be disconnected from the same during the operation of starting the engine. The contact 7 is connected by a lead 9 with the ammeter G and by a lead 10 with the ignition battery and the contact 8 is connected through the switch W b a lead 11 with the contact 3 so as to e lish electrical connection between the 1generator F and both of the batteries L and when the switch N is in its normal open position, and to automatically disconnect or uncouple the starting battery L from the ignition battery M and the generator when said switch N is moved into its closed position during the operation of starting the engine.

Fi re 1 of the drawing illustrates the switc N in the position it occupies when the engine A is in operation. At such times the conducting element 5 of said switch establishes electrical connection between the contacts 7 and 8, with the result that the electric current produced by the generator F will be supphed to both of the batteries L and M, and electric current will be sup lied from the i ition battery M from hot batteries M an L and generator mm and to the lightin assuming, of course, that the switches J, I and W are closed. In the operation of starting the engine A the plunger 6 of the switch N is moved to the ignition mechcurrent for the spark plugs a switch N, sd as to enable the user to into the position shown in Figure 2 so as to disconnect the conducting element 5 from the contacts 7 and 8 and move said conducting element 5 into engagement with the contacts 1 and 3. In this position of the switch N the starting battery is disconnected from the ignition battery and also from the generator. As soon as the user releases the plunger 6 of the switch N, the expansion spring 6 that is associated with said plunger moves the same in a direction to disengage the conducting element 5 from the contacts 1 and 3 and restore said conducting element to its normal position in engagement with the contacts 7 and 8.

With an ignition and starting apparatus of the construction above described an ample supply of electric current for the spark plug C is assured during the operation of starting the engine, due to the fact that separate and distinct sources of supply of electric current are provided for the starting motor K and for the ignition mechanism, and in the operation of starting the engine there is no chance for the starting motor k to drain or exert a load on the ignition battery M. If the ignition battery M is in a properly charged condition, the engine will start more quickly, especially when it is cold, thereby efiecting a considerable saving in fuel and reducing the liability of running down the battery used to operate the starting motor. Both of the batteries L and M are kept in a properly charged condition, because both of said batteries are normally connected with the generator G, and excessive or unusual use of the lighting system is not liable to result in the starting motor failing to operate when it is desired to start the motor, because the turning off of the ignition switch J which is made to co-act with the switch W, disconnects the lighting circuit from the starting battery, thus preserving the charge in the starting battery when the ignition battery is used for lighting purposes while the engine is idle. The increase in the sup ly of electric orded by the extra battery also improves or increases the efiiciency of the igni ion mechanism of the engine.

If desired, a lead 12 provided with a control switch 12, can be arranged between the ignition battery M and the contact 3 ogthe r1ng the battery M into service to supply electric current to the starting motor K in the event the starting; battery L runs down or becomes so weak that it will not operate the starting motor alone. This is highly desirable, in that it gives the user the assurance of always having on hand an extra battery for the starting motor, in the event of failure of the battery that is normally used to energize the starting motor. Likewise, in the event of failure of the ignition battery M, the user, by closing the switch 12, can couple up the startin battery L with the ignition mechanism an lighting system. Also, if desired, a switch 12 can be arranged, as shown in the lead 4, to isolate the starting battery, in case of its complete failure. Normally, the switch l2 is in an open condition, and switch 12 is in a closed position, as shown in Figure 1.

In addition to the advantages previously pointed out, our invention overcomes an inherent defect of automobiles and other power-operated vehicles of the free wheeling type equipped with a single battery. In the conventional automobile equipped with a free wheeling mechanism that permits the automobile to coast and the engine to rotate at a relatively slow speed under certain conditions, there is a tendency for the storage battery to run down quickly because when the automobile is coasting, the engine is operating at such a speed that the generator will not charge the battery. This is necessary in an automobile equipped with a single battery, because if the generator were set so as to charge the battery when the automobile is coasting, the rate of discharge of the electric current from the generator would be so high, under normal conditions, i. e., when the engine is coupled up with the propelling mechanism of the automobile, that the battery would become overcharged or ruined by the supply of too great a quantity of electric current to the battery. With our invention, which contemplates the use of two batteries, this cannot occur, because the generator can be stepped up to double the charging rate, say, 25 amperes, whereby electric current will be supplied to the batteries at low en inc speeds when the automobile is coasting. ubsequently, when the engine operates at a higher speed or at normal speed, the rate of electrical discharge from the generator will be proportionately increased, but without danger of harming the batteries, due, of course, to the fact that the battery capacity is suflicient to take care of the electric current that is produced when the automobile is operating under normal conditions.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of an electric ignition mechanism, an electrically-operated starting means, an electric lighting system, a storage battery for supplying current to said starting means, a separate and distinct storage battery for supplying current to said ignition mechanism and lighting system, means for supplying electrical energy to the two batteries, and means whereby the user may employ the starting battery to supply current to the ignition mechanism or may employ the ignition battery to supply current to the starting means, or use both storage batteries together 4 to supply current to the starting means.

2. An electricl circuit for kintiarnalf combuztionenginesincu ingspar pugs or' i- 6 ing the fuel supplied to the cylinders (if the engine, a lightmg system, a starting motor, an electric generator, a starting battery, an ignition battery, a control switch, said control witch having provision for normally 10 con ing both of said batteries with the spark plugs and with the lighting system and generator when the engine 1s in normal operation and for uncoupling the starting battery from the elements with which it is normally 15 connected and for establishingelectrical connection between said starting attery and the starting motor during the operation of starting the engine, and a means by which the user can employ the ignition battery to o r- :0 ate the starting motor when the starting Bittery fails.

THOMAS B. HUGHES. WALTER ZELLWEGER. 

